The Morning After

I am late in writing this blog but I have a really good excuse. More on the excuse later; first, about my day yesterday.

Yesterday was a day on the boat. Now a day on my sailboat rarely implies a full day of actually sailing. In fact in most cases it is a combination of breakfast or lunch out followed by some sort of local retail therapy. This day was one of those.

We started by getting the boat sorted out. It has been a damp fall and there has been a log of moisture buildup inside the boat. The mold is starting to grow on the wood walls and there are a couple of new, noticeable leaks to contend with. Some of the cushions are showing stains and the carpet was soaked. We put all the cushions in the V-berth and put the carpet up on the salon berth to dry.

Then we started the motor. That was a bit of excitement. When the weather is cold and the motor has been sitting for a while, it doesn't want to start. For a few minutes it just wouldn't catch. Then I said something about this being a sign to sell the boat and suddenly the engine fired up and we were ready to go!

We slipped from our finger at Sewell's Marina and headed out into Howe Sound. The jib sail was unfurled almost immediately and we began drifting along over to Bowen Island under a light breeze. As we headed across the sound, just outside of Tyee Point, a family pod of Harbour Porpoises sprung up from the sea and dashed through the water towards us. For a moment it looked like they were going to collide with the boat. Then, suddenly, they made one of the deep dives that these small porpoises make and we did not see them again.

We took our time getting over to Snug Cove. When we arrived I radioed in for a slip so we could go for lunch. Unfortunately Doc Morgan's was closed. Given my physical challenges I was unlikely to make the walk up the hill to the Bowen Island Pub and I said so the the marina clerk. She said "No worries. You can use the marina car to drive up the hill." That sealed the deal. We went in, tied up and headed uphill for lunch.

The trip back was uneventful and we arrived safely at the dock. We tied up and cleared up the decks, lifting the motor up into its cradle out of the water. Then we stowed the inside gear and got ready to leave. The rest of the crew got off the boat.

Then it happened. As I got off the boat I was trying to step up over the cockpit edge, something I have done many times before. Unfortunately, of late, stepping up has been a problem for me. Using my cane as a brace I was lifting my feet up over the edge. Then, slipping on the wet deck, my cane slid out from under me and down I went onto the cockpit floor.

I was relatively undamaged, except for the immediate impact on my ego. Well, at least I thought I was relatively undamaged. As it turns out I tore the ligaments in my right knee. I know this because I awoke in the middle of the night in screaming pain with every turn and twist of my legs as I tried to sleep. The pain was bad enough that I considered calling 911. Instead I focused on calming myself and my pain, waiting for morning before going to the hospital.

A short trip this morning to the hospital confirmed that no bones were broken, but the ligaments were a mess. The doctor put on a tensor bandage and gave me a prescription for Percoset. He said I should the Percoset as needed, but especially at bed time. Apparently I can expect the pain to come back tonight and every night for a few days. The doctor suggested that I would take a week or so to get better and that I would be unable to walk or drive for a few days.

Thank goodness Mike and Brian are along and willing to drive the truck (and me) back to Calgary.